JOHESU distances self from planned protest over laboratory council boss’ appointment

The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) has distanced itself from a reported planned showdown with the Ministry of Health over the appointment of a new helmsman for the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).

The group said it had no issues with the change of leadership for the Council, stressing that there was no crisis as alleged in a newspaper publication.

In a release signed by, James Ogbeche, JOHESU, MLSCN Chapter noted: “The purported letter quoted in the publication as being issued by the SGF with Ref no.56331/IV/1046 to the Minister of Health, Professor Adewole…’ stating that the SGF had received his petition dated 29th December, 2015 and that the matter was subjudice and it was the advice of the SGF to wait for the legal process to be concluded was never sent to the Honourable Minister of Health by the SGF.

“Rather the letter with the above reference number was addressed to Mr. Gregory Uchuno who is an Assistant Director in the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) and the Vice Chairman of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) Abuja branch.

“The letter was in response to a petition written by Mr. Uchuno to the SGF which was dated 19th November, 2015. The Honourable Minister of Health never wrote any petition to the SGF. “

JOHESU continued: “On the issue of his removal from office, it is noteworthy that when Mr. President sacked several chief executives of some agencies recently, there was no hue and cry by the sacked Executives even though their tenure had not expired at the time of their removal. One begins to wonder what makes Professor Emeribe an exception to the general rule. It must also be pointed out that where there is no existing Board, the supervising Ministry oversees the affairs of the agencies under it. In its supervisory powers, the Federal Ministry of Health has deemed it fit via a letter dated 19th February, 2016 with reference number DHS/169/T/263 to approve the advertisement of the post of Registrar in Council.

“With regards to the SGF directing that status quo be maintained in Council and the Interim Injunction granted by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, we wish to state that the Council is not aware of any such directive from the SGF and this may be a report merely arising from the figment of the imagination of the author of the article. Dissatisfied with a concluded act of the Ministry, Professor Emeribe ran to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria to file a suit against the Honourable Minister of Health and Council seeking to be reinstated to his position.